South Africa is fast approaching a water crisis of \u201cdisastrous\u201d proportions\u201a Democratic Alliance leader Mmusi Maimane said on Sunday\u201a adding that the country was the 30th driest in the world.<\/p>\n
Speaking during a visit to Illovo in Kwazulu-Natal as part of his national Vision 2029 tour\u201a Maimane charged that the crisis was not only a climate problem\u201a but a problem of governance.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe burden of low rainfall is being exacerbated by poor maintenance\u201a aging infrastructure and an intermittent energy supply\u201a\u201d he stated\u201a adding that South Africa had a constitution that guaranteed the right to water in the Bill of Rights but this right was being denied to millions of the country\u2019s residents.<\/p>\n
The effect of this crisis had been felt deeply in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) where dams were only 35% full on average. Without rain\u201a this supply would be depleted within two months\u201a Maimane cautioned.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this province alone\u201a an estimated 1 million people have been impacted by water shortages and water restrictions\u201a while others have to walk tens of kilometres to source drinking water.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have already seen the humanitarian impact of this\u201a but we are increasingly seeing the agricultural and economic impact.<\/p>\n
\u201cWithout water for irrigation\u201a sugar farmers are suffering and mills are closing. The result is job losses that we certainly cannot afford. In KZN\u201a almost 40% of people are already unemployed \u2013 a rate well above the national average.\u201d<\/p>\n
Maimane said the water crisis could not be allowed to go the way of the electricity crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot afford national water load-shedding on top of electricity load-shedding. We need to take urgent action to prevent this looming disaster\u201a\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn average we lose 37% of revenue from water due to physical leakage\u201a commercial losses and any unbilled consumption. In many irrigation and municipal water supply schemes this figure can reach as high as 60%\u201a\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
This family lives completely off Eskom\u2019s grid<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n